Online Gambling a No-No
September 13, 2009
According to Denmark online gambling is legal as long as you don't actually participate. There have been several cases over the years, where the government maintains that online gambling is legal, but they have prosecuted people for doing so. The latest example is from a man who won $28,000 playing poker online. The government said that he won the money illegally and therefore seized his poker winnings.
Another man was prosecuted for setting up the poker games. The government said that setting up poker games and tournaments was illegal, but they overturned his conviction anyway. Those that participate in online gambling in the country of Denmark are understandably confused. They don't understand how something can be illegal; you could still be prosecuted for doing it.
In the case of the gentleman who had to turn over his winnings, the government said that it wasn't that the online gambling was illegal; it was that he won the money, but didn't have another job. So if you want to participate in online gambling in Denmark, you have to have another job. What if the only thing you are good at is online gambling? It doesn't matter. You have to have another job if you want to keep your online gambling winnings.
Other countries are just as confused as residents are. They are now asking themselves if Denmark is actually allowing online gambling, or if they are just pretending to do so to keep the European commission off of their backs.
